Riding the voter perception that he is as good as or better than President Barack Obama at fixing
the economy, Republican challenger Mitt Romney catches up with the president in Florida and
Ohio, two critical swing states, while the president opens an 8-point lead in Pennsylvania,
according to a Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll released today.

This compares to the results of a March 28 Swing State Poll by the independent
Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University showing President Obama ahead of Gov. Romney
49 - 42 percent in Florida, 47 - 41 percent in Ohio and 45 - 42 percent in Pennsylvania.

Voters in all three states approve of the president's handling of Afghanistan, but by
margins averaging 2-1, voters say the U.S. should not be involved there.

Matching Obama against Romney in each of these key states - no one has won the White
House since 1960 without carrying at least two of them - shows:

Florida: Romney with 44 percent to Obama's 43 percent, too close to call;

Ohio: Obama with 44 percent to Romney's 42 percent, too close to call;

Pennsylvania: Obama tops Romney 47 - 39 percent.

"Gov. Mitt Romney has closed President Barack Obama's leads in Ohio and Florida to
the point that those two states are now essentially tied, a turnaround from the end of March when
the president enjoyed leads in those key states," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the
Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"The good news for the president is that he has an 8-point lead in Pennsylvania,
approaching the 11-point margin he had in carrying the Keystone State in 2008," Brown added.

"Overall, Obama is doing slightly better than Romney in these critical swing states today."

New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie, Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio U.S.
Sen. Rob Portman top the Republican vice presidential guess list, because two are native sons
and one is a near-native son.

At least 67 percent of voters in each state say the economy is in a recession, but at least
51 percent of voters in each state say the recovery has begun. Voters in Florida and Ohio say
Romney would do a better job on the economy. Pennsylvania voters are divided.

"Romney's ability to cut into the president's leads in Ohio and Florida reflects two
changes in the political environment: First, since he is now the de facto nominee, Romney is no
longer being attacked by his fellow Republicans, who are closing ranks behind him. Second,
voter optimism about the economy has leveled off, reflecting economic statistics over the past
month and the public reaction to them.

"A very small gender gap in Florida grows significantly in Ohio and Pennsylvania as
women flock to Obama. Romney offsets Obama's edge in Ohio with a big lead among men,
something he doesn't achieve in Pennsylvania. What appears to be keeping Romney in the ball
game, at least in Florida and Ohio, is the perception he can better fix the economy.

"By margins of about 2-1, voters in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania say the U.S. should
not be in Afghanistan, but they approve of what the president is doing there and pluralities say
the pace of withdrawal of U.S. troops is about right.

"When it comes to picking a Republican running mate, geography is the coin of the
realm. In Ohio a quarter of voters say home state Sen. Rob Portman would be the best choice,
while four in 10 Floridians say that about their Senator, Marco Rubio. In Pennsylvania, almost a
third favors neighboring Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey. Christie and Rubio do best outside
their own neighborhoods, but there is far from any kind of consensus about who would be
Romney's best choice."

Florida

There is a small gender gap in the Florida presidential race as men back Romney 46 - 42
percent while women back Obama 44 - 42 percent, too close to call on both counts.

Florida voters disapprove 50 - 46 percent of the job Obama is doing and say 50 - 45
percent he does not deserve to be reelected.

The economy is in a recession, voters say 70 - 26 percent and 51 percent say the recovery
has begun. Romney would do a better job on the economy, voters say 49 - 40 percent.

Voters approve 49 - 39 percent of the way Obama is handling the situation in
Afghanistan, but they say 64 - 27 percent that the U.S. should not be involved. Obama's pace
withdrawing troops from Afghanistan is about right, 44 percent of voters say.

"The dead heat in Florida appears to be a result of Obama's decline as much as anything
else. In March the president had a 51 - 44 favorability rating compared to 46 - 47 percent today,"
Brown said. "Romney barely moved, from 41 - 36 favorable in March to 40 - 34 percent
favorable now."

Ohio

The gender gap widens in the Ohio presidential race as women back Obama 50 - 37
percent while men back Romney 48 - 38 percent.

Ohio voters split 48 - 47 percent in their approval of Obama and split 47 - 48 percent on
whether he deserves to be reelected.

The economy is in a recession, voters say 67 - 31 percent, but recovery has begun, 55
percent say. Romney would do a better job on the economy, voters say 47 - 43 percent.

Voters approve 51 - 39 percent of Obama's handling of Afghanistan, but say 59 - 33
percent that the U.S. should not be involved. The pace of U.S. troop withdrawal is about right,
43 percent of voters say.

Sen. Portman is the vice presidential preference for 26 percent of Ohio voters, with 14
percent each for Christie and Rubio. No other candidate tops 8 percent.

"The president gets 44 percent in Ohio to Romney's 42 percent because of his strength
among Democrats, 84 - 7 percent, and that party's relative strength in the Buckeye State. The
president is ahead even though he trails among independent voters 43 - 38 percent."

"One explanation for this Democratic edge over Republicans in identification may be
spillover from the unpopularity of Republican Gov. John Kasich during his first 16 months in
office," Brown added.
Pennsylvania

Voters approve 50 - 46 percent of the job Obama is doing and say 50 - 46 percent he
deserves four more years.

The economy is in a recession, voters say 69 - 28 percent, but 56 percent say recovery
has begun. Obama would do a better job on the economy, 44 percent of voters say, while 43
percent point to Romney.

The Supreme Court should overturn the health care law, 46 percent of voters say, while
43 percent say the court should uphold the law.

Pennsylvania voters approve 56 - 34 percent of the way Obama is handling Afghanistan,
but say 61 - 30 percent the U.S. should not be involved. The pace of troop withdrawal is about
right, 48 percent say.

Christie is the top choice for running mate, with 28 percent, followed by Rubio with 15
percent and no other candidate above 8 percent.

"The president's lead in Pennsylvania is across the board. He carries independent voters
45 - 36 percent," Brown said. "A slight majority says he deserves a second term and gives him a
thumbs up for his job performance. He has a huge lead among women, while men go to Romney
by a nose. Of the three states, Pennsylvania is the one in which the largest number of voters say
the economy is beginning to recover."

From April 25 - May 1, Quinnipiac University surveyed:

1,169 Florida voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percent;

1,130 Ohio voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percent;

1,168 Pennsylvania voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percent.

Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Virginia
and nationwide as a public service and for research.
For individual statewide crosstabs and trends visit -
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml or call (203) 582-5201.

1. Turning to this year's general election for president, if the election for President
were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Mitt Romney
the Republican, for whom would you vote?

6. Compared to past presidential elections, how would you describe your level of
enthusiasm about voting in this year's presidential election; are you more enthusiastic
than usual, less enthusiastic, or about the same as usual?

7. Please tell me which one of the following you would most like to see Mitt Romney
choose as a candidate for vice president: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Louisiana
Governor Bobby Jindal, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Ohio Senator Rob Portman,
New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, or Florida Senator
Marco Rubio?